RETIREE ROLLS THE DICE ON ELECTION BOARD GAME

Fred Marx Jr. prays he can make a buck from chads.

The West Palm Beach retiree has produced a board game based on the November election turmoil that he figures is a natural for political junkies.

If his plan works, the game of “Chads” will soon be on a store shelf near you.

“Every time you pick up the paper, there’s something in there about recounts, or the hoopla of election 2000, ” said Marx, 69. “It hasn’t died down yet.”

A former Greenacres police chief, Marx tinkered at inventing games for years. He thought he hit the big time about a year ago, when he came out with “Pegboard Baseball” — where players roll dice in the hope of scoring runs.

But he found it difficult to market a single product to department stores. So Marx went to work on a companion game, which he was finishing during the election chaos.

One night his wife suggested he call the thing “Chads,” and he was off and running. A game of strategy, “Chads” comes in a box that proclaims “made in Palm Beach County” and includes a replica of the ballot that gave voters fits.

“That’s just for humor,” Marx said. “You can hold it up to the light, just like (canvassing board Chairman) Judge (Charles) Burton — there’s even a little hole.”

A partner in Golden Industries, LLC, Marx is hoping to catch the attention of retailers. In the meantime, anyone can get the game online for $ 24.95 at goldenindustries.com

For the record, Marx is a Bush guy who had no problem with the butterfly ballot. But he thinks the punch-card system is a disaster and should have been replaced long ago.

He’s tried to keep his opinions out of the product.

“It’s a neutral game — though it does give Democrats the chance to replay the election,” he said. “But when it comes to money, I don’t care, I’m not partisan.” Come together

The Palm Beach County Democratic Party is scrambling to keep its base satisfied.

Party Executive Director Cathy Dubin this week sent out about 20 letters to black community leaders, asking them to tell the party of their top issues.

The invite comes after Delray Beach activist Josh Smith wrote a letter knocking the party for not doing more about black community issues.

Specifically, Smith wants the Democrats to recruit and elect more black leaders. But he asked party leaders to call a pow-wow to hear from others.

Democratic leaders followed his advice, setting a June 14 meeting at party headquarters.

“The party expects black votes, while simultaneously giving little in return in issues that blacks and others feel passionate about,” Smith said. “I think

(Dubin) is conscious of identifying those issues.” Reno running?

Former Attorney General Janet Reno is creating quite a buzz with her flirtation with running for governor.

But county Democratic Party chairman Monte Friedkin predicts her name will never make it to the ballot.

“I’ll be surprised if she runs,” Friedkin said this week.

Reno shot to the front of a field of lesser-known potential challengers last week when she said she would consider taking on Gov. Jeb Bush in 2002.

Friedkin says the former Cabinet member is a “brilliant woman” who would make a great candidate — but he questions if she has the endurance for a statewide campaign.

Candidates will have to campaign on a grassroots level, which means stops at every club and party meeting around the state. And whoever runs will have to raise serious cash.

The combination of Reno’s age (she’s 62) and health (she has Parkinson’s

disease) — combined with the fact that she’s never run statewide — makes Friedkin question if she will take the challenge.

“I’m not taking sides right now or making bets,” Friedkin said. “I just find it hard to believe she has the stamina.” By the way …

The county Republicans have hired a Washington, D.C., veteran to be the party ‘s executive director. Danielle Morris will leave the capital and her job at Citizens for a Sound Economy to take the $ 60,000-a-year post running party operations.